Boats can be equipped with some form of sun shade apparatus or other enclosure such as a top, canopy or bimini. Some tops can be moved between an extended, engaged, locked or radar position and a stowed, collapsed, unlocked or trailering position. Some tops are constructed out of tubular frames that articulate to at least two positions. Some such tops can be manually articulated to a desired position, while others utilize mechanical aids such as hydraulics or electric motors to power the apparatus into the desired position(s).
The manual articulation of tops often require a significant effort to move the top into the desired position(s). One common method for manually articulating a top is to manually lift the top into the desired state, such as an extended position. Then, the top can be secured in position by latching or locking a frame member, such as a bow, arm or strut, such as to hardware that is attached to the water craft. Such manual articulation requires significant strength to raise the top into position, and dexterity and balance to secure the top in position. Such manual articulation can be unsafe if undertaken by a single person.
Some tops have been designed such that they use gravity to pull the top into the stowed position when released from the extended position. However, when released, such tops violently collapse, which can injure someone in the path of the top, damage the top and/or the water craft or be noisy, potentially scaring away wildlife. Other tops may use powered mechanical systems to decrease or even eliminate the need for manual articulation. However, such powered tops are often cost prohibitive and may not be useable with all boat models, as such powered tops can require specific structural elements for mounting thereto and power.
Even once the top has been raised generally into its deployed position, the top must then be secured and tensioned. Typically, such tops have utilized one of two components to secure and tension the front of the top.
One such component is a strap. The strap is attached to the top front of the frame. Once the top is in its deployed position, the strap can be attached to the boat and then tightened to tension and secure the top in its deployed position. Straps can have a pulley or block and tackle system and a handle that can allow applying tension and removing tension relatively easy and are generally more affordable. However, straps can wear out and are seen by some in the boating community as cheap, weak and undesirable.
Another such component is a strut. Like a strap, the strut is connected to the top front of the frame. Once the top is in its deployed position, the front top of the frame must be pulled down and then the strut attached to the boat. Such attachment is often putting a pin through the strut and an attachment mechanism on the boat. Unlike with the strap, such maneuvering typically requires two people to accomplish and the strut tends to be more expensive. Further, the strut needs to be the correct length so as to ensure the proper tension is applied when the strut is attached to the boat. However, the strut is less likely to wear out in comparison to the strap and seen by some in the boating community more luxurious, strong and desirable.
Therefore, there is need for a cost effective top that decreases the effort required to manually articulate the top and to tension and secure the top in its deployed position. There is also a need for a top that can be manually articulated by one person without a sudden collapsing of the top and that can be securely stowed, such as for transportation and storage.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in this summary and descriptions of the disclosed embodiment, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom.